How Choose a topic of interest, spend a little time researching it, have a discussion, publish the notes.

Why The main benefits are the fostering of a greater understanding of the world before we die and hopefully, to prompt further thought and discussion from our listeners.

The topic we will be discussing in this show is Cenk Uygur Interviews Sam Harris, recorded 2nd May 2015.

Topic Overview

An analysis of the conversation between Cenk Uygur and Sam Harris and a wider discussion of the reflexive Harris bashing (and bashing of anyone) in certain liberal circles being critical of Islam. Is it fair to be marginalized for making similar noises to right wing bigots? Hitler may have been right regarding certain tenets of evolution by natural selection, but for the most part, intelligent people don’t reject that evolution is a fact. What’s with this double standard? Also, How big a part does ‘white guilt’ play into this? Criticising islam is tantamount to criticizing a race of dark skinned people. Harris and others often preface their comments with reminding us that Islam is a collection of ideas and that any criticism leveled at it applies just as much to white converts. It just so happens that the vast majority of Muslims aren't white so you just can’t say these things, honkey. Wait, Ayaan Hirsi Ali isn’t white and she gets a heck of a lot of pushback, particularly from Uygur who’s thrown a fair few barbs in her direction. Uygur says a lot of nasty ass stuff about Pat Robertson and Ken Ham and many other Christian lunatics with no restraint or sensitivity but stops short of going too heavy on any particular Muslim. What is going on here?

Off Topic

What we’re not talking about

Aspartame

2016 Mercedes AMG GT-S

Talking Points

The problem with modern journalism according to Sam Harris

Dishonesty

Defamation

Taking peoples beliefs seriously

Do natural and supernatural beliefs drive behaviour equally?

To what degree do people believe what they profess?

Do people really believe that people really believe what they profess?

To what degree do people practise their beliefs?

Quote mining, what are the motivations?

Do the 1.6 billion self defined followers of Islam practise Islam to the letter?

Sam Harris believes some Muslims are a problem because of their particular belief/interpretation of the doctrines of of Islam

How much is ‘western imperialism’ to blame for the murderous actions of a small number of Islamists and the support for murderous actions from a larger number of Islamists?

Does the popular Christian refrain ‘do as you would be done by’ provide a biblical motivation to harm if you’re a masochistic psychopath?

Wrap Up

Details about site, contacts, next show

Outro music choice - something open source so we don’t get sued

Muwashaha (موشح) is an ancient Middle Eastern musical and poetic form popular and played often today. The best representative piece is Lamma Bada Yatathanna (When she begins to sway) which dates back to the 10th century. Lutes (Oud عود‎) and Box zithers (Qanun قانون‎) are customarily used. The piece is performed by the Lute virtuoso John Bilezikjian.

CJ Werleman (Wiki) tweeted “Sam Harris is the Pat Robertson (Wiki) of atheism” to his 10,000 followers and linked to a libelous article entitled “Sam Harris Slurs Malala” (I had actually written that Malala deserved the Nobel Peace Prize and that she was the best thing to come out of the Muslim world in a thousand years).From Harris’s blog post

If you really believe that death leads to eternal bliss, then why are you wearing a seatbelt? - Doug Stanhope

11:40 Cenk gives an example of due diligence in fact checking where TYT added an annotation to a video.

12:00 Cenk states that TYT provides a platform for people to air their views.

13:15 Sam states his interest in the cognitive commitment to the range of belief i.e. non-believers to those who would 'bet their life'. Dangerous doctrines and who believes them.

15:00 Sam: “I'm interested in what people believe and how much they believe it and the link between belief and action.”

16:00 Sam posits that there are public figures who believe all religions are the same and to specify any for criticism is racist/taboo.

18:20 Cenk refers to a quote from Sam along the lines of ‘Mormonism is slightly more absurd than Christianity’ and thinks that’s like the difference between 2+2=5 and 2+2=6. His point is that to attempt to measure the distance between absurdities is unnecessary. A square circle and a banana made from the colour blue have both crossed the line of credibility and therefore, no further comparative calculation is required or of value.

18:45 Sam makes the probabilistic argument: you can measure the level of absurdity, at least relatively. Jesus returning is one order of improbability, returning to Missouri is another (greater).

42:15 Sam: People don't believe people believe

44.15 Cenk brings up: No compulsion in religion as the Islamic equivalent to '..Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's.'

49:00 Cenk plays the numbers game and repeatedly states that there has been more violence in the name of Christianity. Sam tries to explain the difference between violence inspired by religious doctrine 'direct line to the doctrine' and that perpetrated by members of a religion without such a clear motivation.

54:00 Cenk: plenty of scope in most religions for excuses for violence. 'Geopolitical reasons' mentioned.

56:00 Cenk believes that all religions have enough anti-social material that should other factors favour it, the text could be used to justify violence.

58:00 Sam: There is no statement of division between God’s law and Man’s law in the Koran.

1:39 Family at the airport who you can bet your life aren’t Jihadis. Sam doesn’t specify their race here. Would that make a difference?

2:10 Cenk: A country that is doing economically better is less likely to produce a culture steeped in Jihad, that is why culture and geopolitics matter more than religion.

2:17 Cenk states that he would never perpetrate a ‘first strike’ no matter the circumstances.

2:30 “Fundamentalism is only a problem if the fundamentals are a problem”. Good one by Sam.